Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to shift markets back to open spaces
BHUBANESWAR: Given that social distancing is getting compromised in crowded market places in the city, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in the process of identifying suitable places for vegetable markets at open spaces for public safety. The places identified during the first wave are likely to be utilized again.
“There has been a sudden increase in positive cases in Bhubaneswar which need to be controlled with adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. We had conducted a meeting with market associations to identify suitable places for vegetable markets at decentralized spaces like last year. It will be done within a day or two,” BMC commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said on Monday.
BMC has also issued an order which stated that vendors should sit sufficiently apart so that social distancing norms are adhered to by them as well as the public. “The zonal deputy commissioners will oversee the demarcations so that Covid norms can be followed properly. The enforcement teams of BMC and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), with the help of local police, will ensure proper enforcement in a periodic manner.” the order stated.
It is seen that people do not follow mask and social distancing norms at market places till night curfew begins at 9pm. Proper social distancing in market places is needed as the capital city on Monday reported the highest number of Covid positive cases (468) during the ongoing second wave. Currently, there are 2,827 active Covid cases in the state capital.
Most of the localities here reported Covid cases on Monday. These include 33 positive cases from Nayapalli, 22 from Patia and Old Town, 19 from Sundarpada, 16 each from Khandagiri, Sailashree Vihar and Chandrasekharpur and 14 from Pokhariput.
Keeping the rising cases in mind, the state government on Monday decided that weekend shutdown will be imposed in all urban areas of the state including Bhubaneswar.